At 07:06 PM 24/03/2012, you wrote:
Has anyone else noticed that this past summer seems to have been bad
for snakes? My yard (in Bungendore) and the cemetery over the road
are usually full of snakes, and a summer never goes by without
several sightings. No so for this year. I assumed that it had
something to do with the unusually mild and wet weather. Today
though, I was walking through the cemetery to look for some YTBC
that I saw and heard flying over the house, when I came across a
large, almost perfect snakeskin. I haven't measured it yet (my folks
are freaking out about it somewhat) but the unbunched portion (tail
end) must be at least 1m long, and I'm guessing that the bunched up
section contains at least another 0.5 to 1m.
Not being a snake expert, I can't tell what species it is. Though
judging from past snakes in the yard it could be either a Tiger, a
Brown, or a King Brown.
Erika,
It's probably been a reall good year for snakes (from their point of
view) as there would be a bumper crop of mice etc due to all the
rain. I think the reason you aren't seeing as many of them if
because it is a good year for them food-wise and they have dispersed
out into the surrounding terrain. During the drought they would be
clustered around available food sources like human habitation etc,
and I would imagine that there would be more long grass etc in the
cemetery than out in the paddocks during a drought? More cover for
mice etc, so better hunting grounds. It is just that you aren't
seeing them concentrated into smaller areas where there is viable food?
Someone commented to me recently that they hadn't had many frogs in
their area this year..... possibly the same reason as I propose for
the snakes. Much more water around elsewhere means that they don't
need to concentrate in garden ponds etc as the only viable water for
breeding. I've found the opposite, that there are more frogs around
for me this year in my garden, but I guess it varies and the rain
likely allows them to travel about more. Anyway, I've digressed from
snakes..... I have no idea for sure whether my idea above is the
reason you aren't seeing the snakes, but it seems logical to
me. Hopefully to others as well?
Cheers.
Paul T.
Higgins, ACT.
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